Saturday, April 2, 2011

taking the call

"Bugger." Simon didn't know what to think. A mysterious call like that. About Maxie. He called Caity right away, she'd want to know about her husband, now wouldn't she?

"Do you want to take a drive? See if we can find him." Simon offered.

"Oh God, should I?" She sounded restless, but sad. "We had such a terrible row when he left, and..and..can I trust him?"

"Jesus, Cait, he's fucking ill, you know. He can't even speak. Its your duty to see to him, sickness and health, isn't it? You married him. Had his child. It can't be all bad, now can it?" He told her. But the silence grew. "Please, if you love him, any at all, you'll go with me to find him." Still the silence prevailed.

"All right." Her words were in a huff. This wouldn't be pretty, he supposed. But he made a call to Paddy, told him he'd be late from work. He wanted to see this through. Maxie needed to be home so he went around in his little economy car and picked Caity up at The Oaks. At least she was ready for him. It wasn't like him to leave the village much, due to those nasty gas prices.

"Where are we going?" She asked first thing.

"He's in the country. A cottage, out past the glen we always took the last days of school field trips too." He told her.

She hugged herself as if she wouldn't dare have a happy memory of it now or then.

"You can't just stay mad at him, forever." Simon looked over at her, all smug and bitter.

"I don't want to. Its hard. He lied to me, Simon." She was blunt as her hair crept around her face.

"He didn't want to see you hurt, all right. And its the past. He loves you. He wants to be with you." Simon didn't believe those were false promises. But they were on the skirts now. It was a beautiful green out now. Spring was on the horizon. He took the first old road on the right.

"Its just amazing he made it this far. Imagine, if he'd caught a bus, gone to London. Left you behind and took on a whole new idenity. Is that what you wanted Cait?" Simon gave her a slight scowl as it began to rain.

She shook her head, no.

"I want him back, Simon. I do." Caity broke down. "I just don't know if I can, you know, love him..like I did. Will he love me? It was a terrible row. I wanted him out of my life, but he's still here with me." Tears rimmed her eyes then. "I'm pregnant."